Olympus M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/2.8 Pro review: this lens makes me money

The Olympus M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/2.8 Pro isn't just the best telephoto trinity lens for Micro Four Thirds, it makes me money!

5 Star Rating
Reviewer James Artaius holding the Olympus M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/2.8 Pro lens, mounted to the Olympus OM-D E-M1X
(Image: © James Artaius)

Digital Camera World Verdict

The Olympus M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/2.8 Pro is one of my favorite lenses, and one of the best at what it does. For photographing wildlife on safari, I simply could not be without it; it's half the size and weight of most full-frame 70-200mm equivalents and, with an effective 300mm at the long end, offers much more reach as well. Its tiny size and weight combined with the gobsmackingly good image stabilization of Olympus / OM System bodies makes it my preferred weapon for telephoto shooting – particularly with the IP53 weather sealing and 2x teleconverter compatibility (giving it a 160-600mm effective range!). It also has the coolest lens hood I've ever seen!

Pros

  • +

    80-300mm equivalent reach

  • +

    IP53-certified weather sealing

  • +

    Compatible with teleconverters

Cons

  • -

    Not the sharpest in the corners

  • -

    Best suited to bigger bodies

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The Olympus M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/2.8 Pro is one of the workhorse Olympus / OM System lenses, and for good reason – it's a lens I simply cannot be without. I'm lucky enough to have used this lens around the world, both on paid commissions and for personal work, and it's an absolute kitbag essential.

The focal range of the Olympus M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/2.8 Pro is unfamiliar, due to the 2x crop factor of Micro Four Thirds (MFT) cameras, but this is effectively a 70-200mm f/2.8 trinity lens. Except, of course, that said crop factor actually makes this an 80-300mm trinity lens, in a form factor that's smaller and lighter than any full-frame equivalent.

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James Artaius
Editor

The editor of Digital Camera World, James has 21 years experience as a journalist and started working in the photographic industry in 2014 (as an assistant to Damian McGillicuddy, who succeeded David Bailey as Principal Photographer for Olympus). In this time he shot for clients like Aston Martin Racing, Elinchrom and L'Oréal, in addition to shooting campaigns and product testing for Olympus, and providing training for professionals. This has led him to being a go-to expert for camera and lens reviews, photo and lighting tutorials, as well as industry news, rumors and analysis for publications like Digital Camera MagazinePhotoPlus: The Canon MagazineN-Photo: The Nikon MagazineDigital Photographer and Professional Imagemaker, as well as hosting workshops and talks at The Photography Show. He also serves as a judge for the Red Bull Illume Photo Contest. An Olympus and Canon shooter, he has a wealth of knowledge on cameras of all makes – and a fondness for vintage lenses and instant cameras.